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SAFe: Enterprise Architect

Enterprise architects are rising in the SAFe and agile enterprise scene. They are becoming one of the most important people in the realization and implementation of concrete technology and development of agile business models. But what exactly is the role of enterprise architects and how important are they in the agile methodology?
What is an Enterprise Architect?
The enterprise architect and his team are the people who define and distribute the technical roadmap needed for support of the business’s short-term and long-term objectives. On that note, the enterprise architect is the person who has to know all about the architectural forces and technological components that would allow him to deliver a transitional architecture.
Enterprise architects work with system architects and business stakeholders in order to drive holistic implementation of technology all over the programs. The nature of their job counts for them relying heavily on continues feedback in order to promote adaptive design, engineer practices and drive collaboration between programs and teams in the same technical vision.
The Responsibilities of Enterprise Architects
The very responsibilities of enterprise architects are focused on specific responsibilities. These responsibilities include maintaining high level and holistic vision in terms of development initiatives and enterprise solutions. They also help in defining key initiatives in support of Budgets using architectural epics. The enterprise architect also participates in developing strategy to build and maintain the agile enterprise architectural runway.
As an enterprise architect, they understand strategic themes as well as other business drivers in architecture. They understand system architects, the role they play and communicate technical decisions. It is also the enterprise architect’s job to collect, generate as well as analyze any innovative idea and technology that can be applied in SAFe or Scaled Agile Framework. Similarly, they re-use any ideas, proven patterns and components that can be used for realizing the architectural framework.
The Enterprise Architectural Strategy
One of the important responsibilities of the enterprise architect is the enterprise architectural strategy. In terms this, one should know that the enterprise’s capability embracing organization change is a very competitive advantage and a principal constituent of the enterprise architectural strategy. There are five elements within the strategy which includes:
• Choice and Usage of Technology – Selecting the right technologies that can best support the existing Budgets.
• System Architecture Strategy – Enterprise architects works with system architects to ensure that the individual program and product strategies are aligned with the objectives of the enterprise.
• Development and Deployment Infrastructure Strategy – A key challenge on reusing configuration patterns, knowledge sharing, physical infrastructure, etc.
• Inter-Program Collaboration – Enterprise architects make sure that programs have common design practices, technology; infrastructure and have sufficient freedom.
• Implementation Strategy – An effective and agile implementation strategy is crucial in preserving the enterprise’s architectural flexibility.

These are the important elements of the enterprise architectural strategy under the enterprise architect. With the enterprise architect’s work, it is made possible to preserve the SAFe’s architectural flexibility which can very well help in an enterprise’s business needs in the future. It is clear to see how enterprise architects are important in the agile enterprise methodology.